Lift for 00 Expy with 4 wheel air suspension

[masterhacker]

Im looking for a suspension lift (5-6") for my 2000 expedition that I just got in a trade, I cant find a kit that says it works with the 4 wheel air suspension, Ive found some that say they work with rear air bags

Also does the front air suspension use different mounts than the regular suspension? and if so can I swap over to them (with out allot of dicking around)

also what size tires can you clear wit out rubbing with a 6" lift. I really don't want to do a body lift, they are worthless

THANKS!

 

[tonydiv]

No one makes a suspension lift for the 4 wheel air bag suspension.

A body lift is the cheapest and easiest (and in your case, perhaps the only) way to make room for bigger rubber. I'm curoius why you think that they are worthless.

 

[Thermo]

Master, you can go custom, but plan on spending quite a bit of money. The big issue is that no one makes a long enough air shock to work for that application and simply making a spacer does not work in this case. So, you would end up having to get the shock mount unwelded, rewelded in a different location which is going to take a lot of fabrication as the mount will be essentially "floating" below the frame which is going to put a lot of stress on the mount.

Now, if you don't mind doing some work on the truck, you can run 35's with only a body lift. You can potentially squeeze in 37's if you are willing to do some cutting on the lower A-arms, back of the front wheel wells, and the front bumper (I'm running 37's with a 4" suspension lift). The big thing to keep in mind is that going with a rim over 8" wide will make this setup not work and you will also be limited to a 12.5" wide tire.

Tony, body lifts can be hard on a truck if you like to twist up the rig as the body lifts allow the body to not flex at the same rate as the frame. So, in this case, you are then really stressing some of the bolts holding the body to the frame, leading to bolts being pulled out. If you want something just for the street, then by all means go with the body lift. But, if you plan on pushing the truck to its limits, suspension is the only way to go.

 

[treycool94]

i thought fabtech made the 6" lift for both

 

[walnuts4x4]

body lifts haven't given me a problem with any of the trucks I have built for myself and friends.... my expy doesn't get beat like my old f150 did but it never had a problem with the BL....

 

[jacks3am]

Heres what you have to do, get a standard suspension lift kit for it, I believe everything in the rear bolts up but the front end you will have to get shocks either 4 inches longer then thr 6 inch lift shocks or you have to custom mount the top shock mount 4 inches lower so the shocks work!

 

[walnuts4x4]

on the "old site" there was a guy that fab'd up a fabtech to work with the 4 wheel air set up...

 

[jacks3am]

it was called finally done lol

 

[jacks3am]

here you go guys-
http://expeditionforum.com/showthread.php?t=5922

 

[2000eb]

i heard alot of people ******* bout body lifts. i have literally beaten the hell out of my 83 bronco and it has a 3in body lift and no isuues in that area at all. ya its been through a few axles etc but the bolts seem to be holdin up. and i play in sand and rocks. lots of rock crawling and dry river beds. id like to see proof of body lifts causin problems and not he said she said.

 

[masterhacker]

Here's the rims im looking into getting, my buddy has a set lying around hell sell me cheap:
http://www.wheelsnext.com/wheels-ri...%20%285%5FLug%29-Machined%20w%7C%20Black.html

Those rims are stock sized (17X9 Offset: -12mm Backspacing: 4.56")
so I couldn't clear 35's with a 3" body lift? Could I clear 35's with a 16X8 rim and a 3" body lift?

Or would i be better off going with a 33" tire

Also will I need a special body lift kit cause mine has air susp (i would assume not, but you never know)



But if I want to do a susp lift I can get a shock that is 4" longer than the one in the lift? can anyone pint me in the right direction for such a thing.

Sorry for all the questions and such, this is my first ford truck, Ive owned 2 Chevy (85 K10, and 84 k20 suburban) I put a lift on the 85, and it was pretty straight forward, compared to getting one for a expedition with air susp

 

[Thermo]

Master, 33's are an easy fit and don't even need the body lift. When you step up to the 35's, that is where the world changes a lot. You can probably get away with a 17x8 rim, but the stock 17x7.5 is going to be a really tight fit and may end up with rubbing as the tire will be pulled in a little bit more than with an 8" rim and your problem is going to be rubbing between the tire and the frame of the truck. So, a body lift is not going to fix that.

Going with any 8" wide rim with 4.5" of backspacing will make a 35x12.5" tire with a 3" body lift. Things are going to be tight and may require a little bit of tweaking (cutting of the front valance for example more than likely, possibly trimming of the metal part of the bumper, but not likely), but it will work. For example, when you twist the truck up all the way, odds are you will not be able to slide your finger between the tire and the top of the rear wheel well as the tire will be that close to the body. Hence why I am so specific with what will work and what won't.

 

[Canadian Expy]

Im looking for a suspension lift (5-6") for my 2000 expedition that I just got in a trade, I cant find a kit that says it works with the 4 wheel air suspension, Ive found some that say they work with rear air bags

Also does the front air suspension use different mounts than the regular suspension? and if so can I swap over to them (with out allot of dicking around)

also what size tires can you clear wit out rubbing with a 6" lift. I really don't want to do a body lift, they are worthless

THANKS!

Your Expy has air bags on all 4 corners right now from stock????
I don't think they made that???!!

 

[masterhacker]

Canadian Expy:
It uses a front air shock:
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll269/masterhacker1989/Copyof2011-07-11111403.jpg

So let me get this straight, using a 17x8 rim with 4.5" of back spacing and a 3" lift I can clear 35's that are 12.5" wide, with absolutely no rubbing , with some minor trimming (i would be OK using something skinnier, if I could avoid trimming). is there a certain tire you would recommend for this? (or like a tire code)

Or I can Clear 33's using 17X8 rims with 4.5" of backspacing without a lift

As I said, Ive only installed 1 lift kit on a truck, and I bought a set of tires/rims for it from a guy with the same size lift

 

[DR3W]

IYeah probably a body lift or switch to standard suspension.

 

[Canadian Expy]

I never knew they came with front air shocks!!? Well if it's still torsion bar then any kit that fits rear air will work, Fabtech I know makes that kit 6"

 

[masterhacker]

It has the torsion bars, word on the street is that I need to track down a shock that is 4" longer than the one that comes with a lift kit to install a susp lift

 

[masterhacker]

Heres what you have to do, get a standard suspension lift kit for it, I believe everything in the rear bolts up but the front end you will have to get shocks either 4 inches longer then thr 6 inch lift shocks or you have to custom mount the top shock mount 4 inches lower so the shocks work!

See thats what dude said about it

 

[masterhacker]

Btw, could someone take a pic of their standard front shocks (with out lift) I want to compare the mount/shock to mine

 

[jacks3am]

how about some custom valved fox 2.0's or somthing with a custom length